This invention deals with the therapeutic treatment of persons afflicted with various diseases and injuries and, more particularly, with the many forms of arthritis and the localized transfer of heat from the afflicted areas.
Cold pack devices have historically been employed in the treatment of patients suffering from fever and other diseases that induce relatively high body temperatures and which, depending on the ailment, is oftentimes localized to particular areas of the body. While the construction of such devices can take many forms, they are all intended to actively cool the patient by applying an artificially cooled medium to the afflicted area. A sufficiently large temperature gradient is thereby established and which induces thermal transfer and the cooling of the underlying tissue to offset the internally generated body heat. Such devices also commonly employ a pliant sealable envelope for containing ice or other refrigerable medium and for conforming to the afflicted area.
Similarly, heat pack devices have been used to transfer heat to reduce stiffness and similar ailments. In contrast to the cold packs, though, such devices typically rely on a contained heating element. A thermal insulator or temperature control prevents burning the user. The object however is again to actively promote a large temperature gradient and transfer heat to the body.
In contrast to either of the foregoing device types, the present invention contemplates a device for promoting the transfer of heat from the body as by a so-called heat sink. That is, it contemplates a passive, in the sense of not relying on an external heat or cold source, interface device or heat exchanger which absorbs heat from the patient and transfers the heat to the ambient air upon passing air over the surface of the heat sink.